Kisha Elliston, MSW is a passionate and influential voice in the community, actively engaging across the Greater Toronto Area. Whether it’s on panels, as a keynote speaker, or at mental health and wellness engagements, Kisha’s presence is both captivating and inspiring. Those who’ve met Kisha know her for her warmth, positivity, and undeniable impact. She brings a light that uplifts and leaves a lasting impression.

She is a dedicated mental health professional with over 12 years of counselling experience. She holds a Master’s in Social Work, an Honours degree in Sociology, and a Diploma in Legal Administration. Her expertise includes working with youth, individuals, couples, and families, and she is well-versed in group counselling settings.

Kisha has made significant contributions at organizations such as the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region and CAMH, where she supported women in crisis and worked with youth in urgent care and substance abuse programs. She is highly knowledgeable in Anti-Oppression and Anti-Black approaches, and her sensitivity to diverse cultural backgrounds allows her to effectively engage with people from various walks of life. Known for her warmth, approachability, and inspiring presence, Kisha uplifts everyone she encounters, leaving a lasting impact on those fortunate enough to meet her.

Sola Oluwole is the Regional Manager for Inclusive Entrepreneurship at BDC, working with BDC teams across Ontario and ecosystem partners to make BDC services more accessible to diverse entrepreneurs.

With a career spanning over 15 years, she has worked with several entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by facilitating access to financing, business advice and network. She is especially passionate about women entrepreneurs.

Prior to BDC, she worked in the banking and business consulting industries where she gained knowledge of banking and business strategy & operations.  She is also an experienced entrepreneur, having run her own business and seen first-hand the challenges business owners face.

Outside of work, she volunteers with local and global organizations committed to helping women and girls to be their best. In 2012, she founded a women capacity development organization dedicated to the personal growth of women across many countries.

Sola is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and an MSc graduate of the University of Manchester’s where she majored in International Development.

Originally from Leeds, England. Tony aka Master T was a decorated VJ at Muchmusic hosting/producing and interviewing some of the most popular artists in the world, including Madonna, Janet Jackson, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Meat Loaf, Jay Z, TuPac and countless others. From 1990-2001 at a pivotal time in Canadian hip-hop history, he was a producer and VJ for various MuchMusic programs, including his original creation X-tendamix/Da Mix, and produced RapCity in the latter years, which helped to continue the growth of Hip Hop throughout Canada and beyond.

He’s the former Director of Media Production for RX Music a music consultancy agency that helps create captivating guest experiences for retail stores, hotels, bars, restaurants, spas, and other experiential spaces. Tony was also proud to create and produce their online series, RX Music Live. Master T pulled back the curtain and brought a fresh perspective on the life, times, struggles and the story behind some of today’s brightest stars. Including BeBe Rexha, Neon Dreams, The Sheepdogs, Brett Kissel, Haviah Mighty, Kardinal Offishall, Vance Joy, Johnny Orlando, Talib Kweli, Maestro, Little Dragon, Sean Paul, Clean Bandit, Lee Fields and many more!

As an MC, host or keynote speaker he continues to be in demand for his natural dynamic approach for engaging audiences. In 2023, T managed to conduct three massive Keynotes with Canadian Hip Hop Icons. Kardinal Offishal at CMW, Michie Mee for Indie Week and Maestro Fresh Wes for National Music Centre and CARAS.

T wrapped up 2023 by hosting both nights of the Andy Kim Christmas in support of the National Music Centre at Studio Bell in Calgary.

Currently he is the host, producer and director for Esor Productions, providing online content and creating properties for the brand he has helped establish with his wife over the years.

Rahim is the CEO and founder of Datasoft Group of Companies, a multinational fintech specializing in foreign exchange and global payments software. Rahim leads a global workforce of over 100 employees in developing and delivering transformational solutions for the FX and global payments space.

A classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Isabelle is preparing for her Level 8 Royal Conservatory of Music exams. Her talent earned her a spot in the Regional Arts and Media Program.

Since its establishment in 1999, Rahim has been at the helm of the Datasoft Group, guiding it from its startup phase to its current status as a globally recognized leader. Under Rahim’s leadership, Datasoft developed its proprietary flagship platform, FxOffice, an enterprise-level software core, that provides end-to-end FX and global payment functionality to bank and non-bank financial institutions worldwide. FxOffice runs as a SaaS offering, powering financial institutions in 9 countries, clearing hundreds of billions in FX flows, and millions of cross-border settlements annually.

Before 2008, Rahim played a crucial role in the senior management team at Jameson Bank, where they successfully secured a Canadian Schedule 1 banking charter. In the capacity of Executive VP Operations, Rahim managed bank operations and technology, actively shaping policies and procedures pertaining to risk, technology, security, and compliance during the transition to a regulated bank.

Rahim has been instrumental in his leadership capacity at the Datasoft Group and beyond, skillfully integrating hands-on engineering, strategy development, governance design, and executive leadership. He has honed his expertise across various organizational domains, showcasing a proven and versatile skill set. His latest innovation involves the fusion of cloud-based automation with embedded finance and banking-as-a-service to pave the way for groundbreaking advancements for financial service platforms.

Rahim attended the University of Toronto studying Computer Sciences, Economics, and Biology. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with his wife and is a proud girl-dad to two teenage daughters. His greatest joys are his family, boating and flying.

Isabelle Paul, a 16-year-old student at All Saints Catholic Secondary School, is in the Music Program and has loved music since childhood. She started playing piano as a toddler and developed her skills over the years while attending Brackendale Montessori.

A classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Isabelle is preparing for her Level 8 Royal Conservatory of Music exams. Her talent earned her a spot in the Regional Arts and Media Program.

Isabelle founded “Lessons By Belle,” a piano school in her living room, which has since grown into a business offering birthday entertainment, corporate events, classroom education, and educational music books. Her program won an Ontario Summer Company grant to help expand her business. She plans on digitizing her business into educational apps, websites, and a sound book.

Her debut book, Do Re Mi with the Bell Family, introduces children to the C scale and aims to make music learning fun. Isabelle is passionate about inspiring the next generation of musicians through her creative approach to music education.

I’m Irismar Lawrence, a Chopra Certified Life Coach, dedicated to guiding you on your journey toward wellness, inner peace, and fulfilling personal growth. My path to becoming a wellness and life coach was shaped by nearly two decades of experience in the banking industry, where I developed a deep understanding of the pressures and challenges faced by professionals. This unique background fuels my passion for helping others find balance and resilience in their lives.

Driven by my own quest for healing and understanding the true essence of well-being, I’ve embraced the teachings of Deepak Chopra, blending ancient wisdom with modern science to offer a holistic approach to wellness. Whether you’re seeking to reduce stress, enhance joy, or navigate life’s challenges with greater ease, I’m here to support you every step of the way.

Beyond coaching, I’m an enthusiast for life’s simple joys—from the tranquility of morning meditations to exploring nature’s wonders. I believe in living mindfully, loving deeply, and laughing often, values that I bring into my coaching practice to help you achieve a balanced, fulfilling life.

I am a clinical psychologist who has worked with clients recovering from burnout and who has felt burnout myself. I approach burnout prevention and stress management from the perspective of research and my clinical experiences working with clients. Burnout and stress can make you a different person. We want to bring you back to yourself and teach you what you need to know to stay healthy in the long term!

At Clear Mind, I lead collaborative workshops on stress management and burnout prevention for entrepreneurs, cooperations, and healthcare workers. I also have a private practice, Inner Wisdom Psychology, where I work with clients who live with anxiety, mood disorders, and chronic pain/illness.

Outside of work, I enjoy yoga, reading fantasy fiction, and baking all kinds of sweets.

Althea Fernandes is a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in supporting working professionals, especially paramedics and healthcare workers, in Ajax and Ontario. In her role as a psychotherapist, she has extensive experience working with adolescents, families, and couples and brings that expertise into how she supports working professionals to understand and manage the range of stressors in their lives. She is particularly passionate about helping professionals struggling with work-related burnout, stress, and trauma and the impact it has on their identity. Drawing on her diverse professional experiences, her own journey as an entrepreneur as well as personal experiences with burnout, Althea assists professionals in gaining insight into the factors that make them vulnerable to burnout and stress and the barriers preventing them from fully enjoying their lives. Her goal is to empower her clients to find more purpose, freedom, and passion in their work and personal lives, enabling them to overcome burnout and THRIVE, not just survive.

Meredith Best is the Assistant Director, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) where she oversees the strategic direction and operations of the Sam Ibrahim Centre for Inclusive Excellence, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership (SICIEEIL).

Prior to joining UTSC, Meredith was a Senior Lead in the Innovation Office at FSRA Ontario focused on modernizing innovation policy in the financial sector, the Director of Ecosystem Development & Engagement in Walmart Canada’s Innovation Division, the Senior Director of Partnerships at the Toronto Region Board of Trade (one of the largest Chambers of Commerce in Ontario), and Director of Partnerships at the Toronto International Film Festival (the largest public attended film festival in the world).

A proud Scarborough resident, you can find her on weekend walking her dog Steeler along The Meadoway, as a Steering Committee member of the East Scarborough Storefront, and Advisory Committee member of the Legacy Awards.